Good morning! I hope you’re enjoying your long holiday weekend. I just got back from the airport. Putting your daughter on a plane back to college never really gets easier, but it does start to become a familiar rhythm.
We had a really nice Thanksgiving, at least I thought so. I hope the kids did too. As they get older and develop different interests, I’m sure there are other places they would rather be, but I’m glad they all still participate in the family events… at least, some of them. It was hard to wrangle anyone to go to the tree farm this year to get our live tree, although they all want the live tree, of course!
So Paul and Becca and I just went out on Friday afternoon to a nearby tree farm and chose one from the pre-cut section with very little pomp and circumstance. We literally chose the first tree they unwrapped for us! It’s a little homely, but it will be fine once we get it decorated.
Hopefully we can tackle that this afternoon. It’s going to be raining, so it’s the perfect day to light a fire in the fireplace and turn on some Christmas music and bring out the boxes of childhood decorations designated for the live tree in our family room.
I keep a second tree in the living room, which is decorated with a collection of red and gold decorations I’ve amassed over the past few years. I’ve tried to choose unique pieces and add to it slowly, so it’s a really pretty tree! We actually put that one up before Thanksgiving, so I could shoot some holiday looks for the blog. Here’s how that one turned out this year.
Then yesterday, all five of us went to see the Tina Turner Musical at the Academy of Music in Philly. It was fantastic, although a little raw. She has quite the life story. But I’m glad we went, and it was fun to go into the city together on a holiday weekend.
I’m running late for church, as usual, so I’ll have to cut this Coffee Talk a bit short this week. That’s pretty much the latest from over here, anyway.
I hope you enjoy the rest of your weekend!
15 Responses
That tree is gorgeous, love how you placed the streamers and all the gold touches! Love the rug in your living room At least it won’t be long before Caroline returns for Christmas, never easy to pack them off. Always loved Tina Turner, such a strong woman!
The tree is beautiful…..
You’re right that it doesn’t get any easier. Our son lived in California (we’re in PA) for 5 yrs and I sobbed everytime he left! At least Christmas is right around the corner. Your tree is fabulous!
I used to cry every time my daughter went back to school. Then when we visited, I cried when we left. If she came home, I cried when she left. Now we live 35 minutes away! No reasons for tears, at least for leaving haha!
Your tree looks beautiful. We went last weekend with our daughter and family to get a tree, early for us, but they had that Saturday free. I put it up yesterday.
Funny story – we had it in the garage all week, in the stand with water. When the garage door was open, we had an Amazon delivery (as usual haha!), and the delivery person put the boxes under the tree. I was sure to give him/her a great review – above and beyond service.
Time to start Christmas cookie baking.
We put our son on the plane back to college today for the first time. We are in Texas, he is in Maine. House seems so quiet now. Hope it does get easier one day. Have a great day, Jo-Lynne!
Sounds like a fun Thanksgiving weekend! I’m pretty tired today after three days of adventures. Thursday was 5 hours at Longwood Gardens (they cook a GREAT turkey dinner!), Friday at the Philadelphia Museum of Art for 4-1/2 hours with sons. Then yesterday over to daughter’s house with everyone!! The week before we went to Verizon Hall for a concert with the Philadelphia Orchestra! We love being in the city during the holidays, so festive!!!! Now I need to decorate MY house for Christmas, right after my afternoon nap! HAHA! Oh, fashion speaking, we bought Vuori vests and jackets this year for the sons. They LOVED them (we celebrated early with them since we won’t see them for Christmas.). Thanks for the recommendations and I certainly went through your link! 🙂
Saw Tina Turner once many years ago. Amazingly talented strong woman!
Your tree is beautiful
Her song Burning Bridges is my favorite.
Recently went to visit my daughter. When she dropped me off at the airport the waterworks started 🥲. She is in her mid 30’s. We have always done this since dropping her off at daycare.
It’s always hard to drop off and let them go back. I’ve done it for 3 kids. Now they are grown with 1 child each of their own, so far. They always said, Mom don’t cry, even before I did. Lol. Someday they will get it when it’s their turn to drop off their college kids. Your tree is so pretty. I have my first artificial tree this year; have always done a live one. It’s been so nice and I won’t go back to live. It looks so real. I looked 2 years for the right one. Your holiday weekend sounded very nice. I can’t tell you how appreciative I am of you and your sale updates. It helps me not have to scroll through so much on my own. Great sales. Looking forward to Dec. with you and your blog. Have a great Sunday.
Glad you had a nice Thanksgiving! I have the Loft red sweater in your photo and love it! Now I’m inspired to try it with my white jeans!
I am glad you had nice Thanksgiving!! Don’t worry your children will always want to participate in all family activities even as they become young adults!! They will always treasure their time together with you and Paul(I am writing about your two older children) Becca will still participate in all family activities and she will also treasure her time with you, Paul and her two older siblings!!
I love your red and gold living room Christmas tree!! It’s beautiful!! BTW, red is my favorite color!! The gold adds a gorgeous touch to the red!! I had two red walls on the sides of our fireplace!!(but my husband repainted these walls off white it looks classic but I do miss the red walls).But we had the red color for 15 years and these walls needed an update!!!🙃
Have a blessed Sunday afternoon, evening and week!!😊
Your red and gold tree is beautiful!
Beautiful tree! I’m glad you enjoyed a fun family filled weekend 🙂
Your “homely” comment made me chuckle. Last year with my daughter home after knee surgery and my son at school my husband and I trudged through the fog, mist, and mud (here in NJ) for our tree. The tree we picked looked very majestic standing on the farm but when we got it home and inside it was the oddest shape. Nevertheless, like all the others before it, it became part of our holiday memories!